Reading Skills
Reading Overview
Reading and listening are receptive skills
Writing and speaking are productive skills
Receptive skills support productive skills, so...
Reading supports writing
Listening supports speaking
Of course, reading brings many of its own benefits (like better vocabulary, improved communication, and stress relief)
But this also means that the more your learners read, the better writers they'll become!
What's part of reading?
Reading is a complex process. Depending on the type of text you are reading and your learner goals, the reading process can include any of the below, and more:
Understanding the main idea
Understanding the author's intent or purpose
Understanding abstract or unspoken meaning
Understanding the logical paragraph order
Understanding organizing language and signposts
e.g. first, next, finally, before, after, when
Identifying the genre
Knowing the vocabulary to understand the reading
Knowing the grammar to understand the reading
Predicting what might happen next
Types of Texts
- Written
Books
Poems
Newspapers
Academic articles
etc.
- Spoken
Dialogues
Speeches
etc.
- Written vs. Spoken Texts: What's the difference?
Written texts
...tend to be more formal and more complex
...contain less hesitation and more structure
Spoken texts
...tend to be more informal and more spontaneous
...tend to be less grammatically and lexically dense
....tend to spread out meaning over a longer period of time
Teaching Reading
1. Previewing
By previewing the reading material, you can activate your students' prior knowledge
You can preview the main ideas or topic:
For example, if the reading is about celebrating a holiday, you can ask your students to think of any personal stories or words related to holidays, and write them down on the board
You can preview important vocabulary:
Remember, you don't need to teach every new vocab word -- focus on the ones that will affect meaning, i.e. your students will not be able to understand the reading if they don't know it
You can also have your students infer or guess what the meaning of a new vocab word by using context
2. Skimming
Ask your students to skim the reading so that they get the general idea of the text
Set a shorter amount of time -- like 2-3 minutes
3. Scanning
Ask your students to scan the reading and find the answer to some questions; this way, your students are reading for something -- they aren't reading just to read!
These questions can be simple or more detailed:
“Read this and tell me _______.”
“Read and tell me what section is _______.”
“Read and tell me what you agree with.”
"How many pairs of shoes does the narrator own?"
"How many places does the narrator go in this chapter?"
It's totally fine to read a text more than once -- in fact, it helps reading comprehension!
Set a longer amount of time -- like 5-10 minutes
4. Discussing
After your students are familiar with the text, you can ask them to discuss the material together
For example: "Do you agree or disagree with the main idea? Why or why not?"
For example: "Why do you think this character _________?"
For example: "What do you think is going to happen next?"
Setting discussion questions is a popular activity, and it can definitely be effective -- but to help keep your students engaged, and to prevent the questions from being too predictable or superficial, try to contextualize at least some of the discussion
One way to contextualize is by relating the questions to the students' personal experiences and opinions
For example: "What time in your life have you related to this character?"
Make sure to go beyond "yes" or "no" questions!
5. Reacting
You also want to build in a chance for your students to react to the reading, besides just discussing it
This reaction activity is a great chance for you to have your students bring in other skills and get creative
For example: "Create a dialogue in pairs based on the reading."
For example: "Write an alternate ending to the story."
For example: "Write a letter to the author about your reactions."
These guidelines are just that -- guidelines! There are many different ways to teach reading, and you should consider your students' levels, learning styles, and goals. You may not need to preview vocabulary, for instance, or you may want to focus on discussion.
Make sure you use a variety of different texts when teaching reading. We read all sorts of material in the real world (e.g. letters, emails, advertisements, recipes, magazine articles) so this will keep class more interesting, relevant, and practical. Try to take these texts from real life whenever possible so that they're authentic -- but know that authentic texts may sometimes be too difficult for lower level learners.
Finally, try to contextualize your reading assignments in real world scenarios. For example, instead of just telling your students to read an article, tell them that their boss wants them to read and summarize the article in the next meeting. Or, ask your students to read and fill out a form about getting a club membership.
Is reading aloud effective?
It depends. Remember that...
Reading aloud is NOT a substitute for speaking practice
Reading aloud is NOT a substitute for checking comprehension
Why?
Because often reading aloud just ends up being like mimicry; it's inauthentic
However...
Reading aloud can sometimes help lower level learners get a grasp on the text
And, if you want to have your students read aloud, it’s better to integrate it with context
For example, have your students first write their own story in groups, and then take turns reading the story aloud
For example, have your students read aloud while also role playing or acting out the reading; this will lead to deeper learning than just reading a dialogue from a textbook
Building a reading habit
Ultimately, reading is most fun and fulfilling when your students want to read on their own and look forward to it. This is easier said than done, but you can use some strategies to help your students build a reading habit:
Set up a reading corner for students who finish early (this way, reading becomes a reward)
Set up reading activities so that students get to hear and learn from each other
Structure reading activities or reactions around something creative and personal
Let students choose their own books to read, or provide a variety of options
Set aside a chunk of silent reading time in each class -- and consider not assigning any homework or follow-up assignments; this is time to read purely for leisure and personal enjoyment!
